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Will Sandy Bridge issues delay new Apple MacBooks?

If Sandy Bridge laptops are delayed, what does that mean for Apple's next MacBook Pros?

Scott Stein Editor at Large
I started with CNET reviewing laptops in 2009. Now I explore wearable tech, VR/AR, tablets, gaming and future/emerging trends in our changing world. Other obsessions include magic, immersive theater, puzzles, board games, cooking, improv and the New York Jets. My background includes an MFA in theater which I apply to thinking about immersive experiences of the future.
Expertise VR and AR, gaming, metaverse technologies, wearable tech, tablets Credentials
  • Nearly 20 years writing about tech, and over a decade reviewing wearable tech, VR, and AR products and apps
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Scott Stein

MacBook Pros: sooner or later?
MacBook Pros: Sooner or later? CNET

With Intel's surprising Sandy Bridge news suggesting new computers featuring the processors might see delays, we couldn't help but ask ourselves whether the Sandy Bridge issues mean new MacBook Pros will come later rather than sooner.

First of all, we have no idea when new MacBook Pros are hitting next. However, assuming they're due for a refresh within the next few months, a few things seem likely: They're going to receive new Sandy Bridge processors, including the older Core 2 Duo-toting 13-inch MacBook Pro. And, they'll likely arrive after the competition. At least, that's been the case for recent MacBook Pros, including last year's Core i-series updates.

New Sandy Bridge laptops have been expected somewhere around the end of February. Even if that timeframe doesn't shift, consider that last year's Core i3/i5/i7 CPUs became available immediately after CES. Apple's new MacBook Pros debuted in April. If that same pattern held true this year, tea leaves would point to somewhere around the end of May/early June.

Now we're taking our Nostradamus hats off. Certainly, we'll be hearing news soon enough as to how OEMs will be handling the Sandy Bridge situation.